CS U Craiova

Early years of football in Craiova (1921–1958)

Football in the city of Craiova began in 1921 when the first two teams were founded: Craiovan Craiova and Rovine Grivița Craiova. In 1940, the two sides merged in what resulted to be one of the most successful Romanian clubs of the Interwar period, FC Craiova, who were the first team of the city that won the Romanian football championship. However, the 1942–43 title is not recognized officially by FRF and LPF.

Immediately after the foundation of the first university education institution – the Institute of Machines and Electric Devices – a group of teachers and students founded CSU Craiova in 1948, a sports club with athletics, volleyball, handball, table tennis, chess, and football sections.

Under the coordination of the Ministry of Public Education and the National Union of Students in Romania, the football team UNSR Craiova (Uniunea Națională a Studenților din România) was formed and enrolled in the county championship. The first official match was held at Filiași on 5 September 1948, with "the Students" being defeated 6–3. These football players dressed the white-blue shirt: Dumitrescu – Rădulescu, Mihăilă I, Carli – Ozon, Mihăilă II – Sabin, Ilie, Bădescu, Tudor, and Serghi; all under the command of head coach N. Polojinski.

In 1950, the football section changed its name from UNSR Craiova to CSU Craiova, the same name as its parent club. In 1951, CSU Craiova defeated with 6–0 Constructorul Craiova, a local rival, in what was going to be the first official match played in Cupa României. In 1953, the club was renamed to Știința Craiova; one year later at the promotion play-off hosted in Arad, Știința, coached by Nicolae Oțeleanu, promoted for the first time in its history at the level of the second echelon. The club relegated back to Divizia C after only one season and remained at that level until 1958.

Universitatea, a rising team (1958–1970)

In 1958, Știința was promoted for the second time in the second league after a fight on the knife edge in the third series of Divizia C against Unirea Râmnicu Vâlcea. At the end of the season, both teams finished with 34 points, but with the advantage of direct matches for the white and blue team. In the first season after promotion, Craiova placed 13th out of 14. Several wins have been made in the next seasons: 1959–60 (10th), 1960–61 (2nd), 1961–62 (4th), 1962–63 (4th). The 1963–64 Divizia B season had a four-way fight for promotion in the first series of the second league. At the end, the Students won the promotion, but tied for second place with Metalul Târgoviște (one point ahead, third place). Poiana Câmpina had two points over fourth place, Dinamo Bacău. This historical act was signed by head coach Nicolae Oțeleanu and the following players: Dumitrescu, Vasilescu, Geleriu, Lungan, Deliu, Bărbulescu, Tetea, Ganga, Anton, Lovin, Onea, Vişan, Stanciu, Papuc, C.Stesnescu, A.Stenescu.

The first Divizia A season was challenging for who were saved from relegation in the last rounds with just one point more than the first relegated team, Minerul Baia Mare. The end of the next season found Știința ranked eighth, the middle of the standing, and they were already putting the first bases of a team able to issue claims to the title.

In the summer of 1966, the club was renamed from Știința Craiova to Universitatea Craiova. Nevertheless, supporters continued to include in their chants and their encouragements the name Știința. Universitatea supporters tend to chant Hei, hei, hai Știința! at times of loss.^[]

As Universitatea followed seasons of contrasting results, in some of them, the team delighted the audience in others less, but has remained in the first division, regardless of the situation: 1966–67 (third), 1967–68 (11th), 1968–69 (seventh), 1969–70 (4th).

"The Champion of a Great Love" (1970–1979)

Craiova started the 1970s with a team built around Ion Oblemenco, Petre Deselnicu, Teodor Țarălungă, Lucian Strâmbeanu and Dumitru Marcu, among others. The start of the decade had the club in sixth place at the end of the 1970–71 season and eighth place at the end of the 1971–72. In the 1972–73 season, they finished at the same number of points with Dinamo București, but lost the championship on goal difference. The season coined a new nickname, "the Champion of a Great Love", a nickname created by the poet Adrian Păunescu, a big fan of the team from Bănie, named Dinamo only as the champion of the country, indicating that Craiova lost the title.

In the 1973–74 season, the title fight was again between Universitatea and Dinamo. Craiova won the title by a point from Dinamo, with Craiova becoming the first university team to win a national title in Europe. Dinamo was considered to be the pet team of the communist regime, which often influenced the results as well and after the last season's incidents, Universitatea was increasingly seen as a representative of the people and simple man in the struggle with the communist regime, of pure football and football played on the pitch against the one dominated by arrangements and influences, so the nickname had gained a reputation. The squad that won the first title was coached by Constantin Cernăianu and Constantin Oțet and had the following players included: Oprea, Manta – Niculescu, Bădin, Deselnicu, Velea, Strâmbeanu, Ivan, Niță, Balaci, Berneanu, Țarălungă, Oblemenco, Bălan, Pană, Boc, Ștefănescu, Marcu, Stăncescu, Kiss, Chivu, Negrilă and Constantinescu.

The 1974–75 season brought a first UEFA European Cup presence against Swedish team Åtvidaberg, who lost 3–4 on aggregate but ranked third place at the end of the championship. The 1975–76 season had the team rank sixth place and announcing a generational change. For the last season of Ion Oblemenco, the team from Craiova won the Romanian Cup for the first time in its history in a final against Steaua București. In the Divizia A, the team finished in third place.

With the generational exchange made, Universitatea continued to impress in 1978 by defending its Romanian Cup trophy, won a year before against Olimpia Satu Mare and a sixth place in the league. The 1978–79 season ended with fourth place and in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Fortuna Düsseldorf eliminated the team in the first round.

Craiova Maxima (1979–1991)

Craiova Maxima (The Maximum Craiova) was the second generation of Universitatea. It was a squad composed of many players who grew up close to the first golden team and formed the basis of the Romania national football team including: Ilie Balaci, Rodion Cămătaru, Costică Ștefănescu, Zoltan Crișan, Ion Geolgău, Aurel Beldeanu, Costică Donose and Silviu Lung, among others.

At the end of the 1979–80 season, it was crowned the champion of Romania for the second time. The squad consisted of Boldici, Lung – Negrilă, Tilihoi, Ștefănescu, Ungureanu, Balaci, Beldeanu, Crişan, Donose, Cămătaru, Geolgău, Cârțu, Irimescu, Purima and Ciupitu – with coaches Valentin Stănescu and Ion Oblemenco. Universitatea's UEFA Cup campaign eliminated Wiener SC and Leeds United until it was beaten in the third round by German football club Borussia Mönchengladbach, 1–2 on aggregate.

In the 1980–81 season, the team was managing the historical double, the cup, and the championship. As a result of this performance, the students qualified for the 1981–82 European Cup, where Craiova Maxima became more and more visible by eliminating Olympiacos and KB, being stopped in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich, 1–3 in aggregate, a historical performance for the Romanian football at that time.

The long-standing presence in the European Cups affected the team, which finished only on second place. They later qualified in the UEFA Cup throughout the 1982–83 season, being the first team in the history of Romania that qualified in a European Cup semi-finals. Under the management of Constantin Oțet and Nicolae Ivan, the team took out Fiorentina (Serie A runners-up), Bordeaux, and Kaiserslautern. In the semi-final, Universitatea encountered Benfica, two times European champions and three times European Cup finalists at that time. After two draws, the Portuguese side advanced to the final on aggregate away goals. In the Divizia A, the team finished again in second place.

Throughout the rest of the 1980s, Universitatea Craiova ranked in the following places: 1983–84 (3rd), 1984–85 (4th), 1985–86 (3rd), 1986–87 (5th), 1987–88 (5th), 1988–89 (5th), and 1988–89 (3rd). The team had a constant presence in the European Cups eliminating teams such as Real Betis, Olympiacos, AS Monaco and Galatasaray, but they never got past the third round. The Students also lost a Romanian Cup final in 1985, 1–2 against Steaua București.

In 1991, CS Universitatea Craiova had its last Romanian cup. Prunea, Mănăilă, Săndoi, Ad. Popescu, Mogoşanu, Ciurea, Olaru, Cristescu, Zamfir, Badea, Pigulea, Agalliu, Craioveanu and Neagoe were the last players that have kissed the championship trophy, along with coaches Sorin Cârţu and Ștefan Cioacă.

FC Universitatea Craiova (1991–2011)

In 1991, Universitatea Craiova conquered its last national title and Romanian Cup, under the management of Sorin Cârțu.

However, in the same year, the CS Universitatea Craiova sports club dissolved its football section, and Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova continued its tradition until the early 2010s—until 1994, the club was still controlled by the Ministry of National Education. FC U won a Romanian Cup in 1993 and reached three finals, in 1994, 1998, and 2000. There was faulty management during the 1990s and early 2000s, which led to the 2005 relegation, when 41 consecutive years of Divizia A were celebrated.

On 20 July 2011, the club was temporarily excluded by the Romanian Football Federation for failing to withdraw their dispute with former coach Victor Pițurcă from a civil court, as per article 57 of the FRF statute which states that the Football Federation solves all the sports lawsuits. However, the article allows disputes regarding employment contracts to be adjudicated in civil court. The exclusion decision was approved by the FRF General Assembly on 14 May 2012. All of the squad players were declared free agents and later signed with other clubs.

Rebranding (2013–present)

On 20 July 2011, the Romanian Football Federation decided to disaffiliate with FC Universitatea Craiova, but the decision was found controversial in court. Consequently, in the summer of 2013, local authorities of Craiova, supported by Pavel Badea and associated with Club Sportiv U Craiova SA (CS U), reestablished the football section of CS U Craiova. CS U claimed that it owns all of the Universitatea honours, and that the sports club did not offer its records to FC U Craiova, which was considered a new club; this was confirmed in justice in June 2016 and reaffirmed by LPF in November 2017. CS Universitatea Craiova is the rightful owner of the brand and records – accepting the 1992–93 Cupa României, claimed but not officially part of CS U's honours.

On 14 August 2013, CS Universitatea Craiova was provisionally affiliated to the Romanian Football Federation, following complications with a licensing file. After resolving the issues, the club was introduced in Liga II, the second tier of the Romanian league system. Universitatea made its season debut on 27 August, with a 6–1 success over Pandurii II Târgu Jiu in the fourth round of the Romanian Cup. In the 2013–14 Liga II season, CS Universitatea Craiova and FC U Craiova met in two direct matches, which hid the true identities of the clubs. CS Universitatea Craiova promoted back to Liga I in 2014 after 23 years of absence, while FC U Craiova was permanently excluded, but later reappeared under the name of FC U Craiova 1948 in 2017.

After the promotion, Universitatea ended the 2014–15 campaign in fifth place. This result was followed by eighth place in the 2015–16 season and a fourth place at the end of the 2016–17 season, the latter ensuring return to European competitions. The comeback in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League was Italian side A.C. Milan, with Craiova leaving the competition after 0–3 on aggregate. On 27 May 2018, Universitatea won its first trophy since its reinstatement after beating second tier club Hermannstadt in the Cupa României final. The game ended 2–0 and was hosted by the Arena Națională in Bucharest. One month later, the Romanian Football Federation approved an application to rename the society from Club Sportiv U Craiova SA to U Craiova 1948 Club Sportiv SA. As the winner of Cupa României, Craiova subsequently took part in the 2018 Supercupa României, which they lost 0–1 to CFR Cluj on home ground.

Two years later on 3 August 2020, in a home ground game against CFR Cluj, Universitatea Craiova came close to winning its first national league since the 1990–91 season. Dan Nistor opened the scoring for Craiova in the 11th minute, but their title contenders won the final fixture of the season 3–1, thus becoming champions for the third consecutive year.